No Regrets
by finnfiction13
Summary: One-shot. Hermione is inspired by something Ron said and acts on it.


_A/N: This is a one-shot that rudely interrupted a study session. It's really just a little idea but I decided to go with it and see where it leads and this is what came of it. Just a little bit of fluff. I'd be forever grateful if you'd let me know what you think in the reviews._

_Disclaimer: of course these are not my characters and I'm not JK._

Upstairs a war was raging, but down here in the Chamber it was eerily quiet. The only thing they could hear were their own footsteps and Hermione automatically tried to tread lighter to reduce the frightening echo.

They stopped in front of the skeleton that had once supported the basilisk's giant body.

Hermione saw Ron move towards it and watched him break off one of the fangs irreverently. She couldn't move. Her mind was invaded by dark thoughts. This was the place that had almost cost her two of her best friends. Ginny had been more dead than alive when Harry found her and Tom had almost gotten his way back then and very nearly killed Harry by way of basilisk venom.

Hermione shook her head, she couldn't be thinking about that now. Not when Harry and Ginny were both upstairs and their live was still in danger. Her stomach churned at the thought of losing either of them tonight.

She looked at Ron, who regarded her with a soft smile. He was probably having similar thoughts.

'Hermione, the cup,' he urged. He really didn't want to stay down here a minute longer than they had to.

The witch found Hufflepuff's Cup in her bag and set it carefully on the stone floor.

Her eyes widened when Ron held out the fang for her to take.

'Ron, I can't…' she stammered.

'Yes, you can. Here,' he said and put the fang in her hand, 'Just give it everything you have.'

Hermione looked at the cup on the ground and the fang in her hand. He'd feel it. They'd both feel it. What if Harry was distracted by her destroying the cup and a Death Eater took the opportunity for a deadly strike? With the ease that only comes with practice, she stopped her thoughts from going further and then took a deep breath.

Her arm went high up into the air and with a force that surprised even her she rammed the fang into the metal of the cup.

At first she thought, she'd missed it, when she saw the cup slide away. But then the Chamber came to life and the sound was deafening. The echo built up to a gruesome crescendo and ended in a boatload of water splashing around the room. Hermione and Ron retreated, fast. But it was no use. As quickly as the spectacle had started it was gone again, leaving the two Gryffindors drenched to the bone.

Hermione felt elated. She had killed a piece of the man - no, monster - that had it in for her best friend from the start. She had killed a piece of Voldemort. She told herself that she shouldn't be so happy about killing anything at all, but she couldn't help but feel she had avenged Ginny's torment in her second year. Take that you bastard!

Suddenly, Hermione felt a hand on her shoulder, turning her around. Ron leaned in and clumsily kissed her. She didn't know what to do. Completely taken by surprise, she panicked, she needed air. What was he doing? Why was he kissing her?

But before her instincts took over and she could push him away, Ron broke the kiss and looked at her. She tried to make sense of what had just happened and read his face - to no avail.

'Why did you do that?' she asked, trying to keep the edge out of her voice but not quite managing.

'I'm sorry, I probably should've asked first, but there is a war going on and…' Ron hesitated, 'and I didn't want to die with regrets.'

Hermione snapped her mouth shut and regarded Ron for a moment. Harry had told her that he had a crush on her and she had gone to great lengths not to give him any sign that he might misinterpret. He was her best friend, but nothing more. He hardly ever did, but even she had to admit that what he had just said was quite profound. It made a lot of sense to her.

'Regrets…' she muttered under her breath. The word had resonated deep within her. She could die tonight. In fact, there was very big chance that she wouldn't survive this mess and she would die without ever knowing… She stopped herself. Again.

Ron was still staring at her. He was wondering what was going on in Hermione's head. She was clearly having a debate with herself. He knew she wouldn't kiss him again. He was no fool, he knew she wasn't interested in him that way. But he had had to know what it felt like, kissing the person you love.

Hermione was still silent and Ron grew a bit worried that he had broken her or something. He was about to say something when Hermione lifted her head to look at him. He had never seen her _this_ determined.

'I've got to go,' she said with conviction and then broke into a run, hightailing it out of the Chamber of Secrets. Ron understood the sentiment but wondered what had brought on this sense of urgency. He ran after her but had trouble keeping up. She was surprisingly fast, he had learned that when they had run from a bunch of snatchers through the wood.

Hermione ran. Her lungs were burning from the smoke and ashes around her. She dogded spells and debris but never stopped to retaliate. She just ran as fast as she could. She knew Ron was behind her somewhere and she hoped he would be fine but right now there was only one thing on her mind - and that was getting to the Great Hall somehow.

Ron saw her turn a corner and a stunner going past her mere inches from her head. It looked like she hadn't even flinched. He pushed himself a bit further and was only a few steps behind Hermione now. He hadn't yet figured out where she was going but it had to be important. He sent stunners past her, ahead of her, to clear her way. She didn't break her run to turn around and look, though.

Very suddenly, Hermione stopped. Ron looked around and saw that she was standing in front of the entrance to the Great Hall, catching her breath, her eyes scanning the people inside.

There was McGonagall shouting orders. He saw his mother put blankets over the fallen, tears in her eyes.

Hermione saw Madam Pomfrey tending to the wounded and then her eyes fell on the person she had run here for. She forced her legs to move, not wanting to hesitate any longer or she feared she would lose her resolve.

Ron watched her enter the Great Hall and walked in a few paces after her, curious about what she was planning. What had been so urgent that she would race here like that.

Hermione's deliberate steps drew looks. Or maybe it was just her presence. Everyone knew who she was and what she had done this past year, after all. Molly left her post to intercept her, to check if she was alright, but stopped when she saw the determined look on her face and followed it. Then, she held her breath, smiling in anticipation of what she had hoped would happen sooner rather than later.

Hermione arrived and she had never been more nervous in her whole life. Even OWLs had been relaxing compared to this. But Ginny had always said that 'anything's possible, if you've got enough nerve', so she swallowed and took a deep breath.

Hermione carefully touched Ginny's arm so she wouldn't startle her. Ginny turned around and smiled.

'You're safe!' she said and wrapped her arms around Hermione.

Hermione hugged her back, but only briefly. She was still breathing heavily, or again, she couldn't tell.

She lifted her shaking hand and placed it behind Ginny's neck. Ginny's eyes went wide with surprise. Hermione never broke eye contact, as if looking for an answer somewhere deep in Ginny's soul. Ginny felt naked, like Hermione could see all her secrets just by looking at her like that, but something in her never wanted to be looked at any other way again. She could feel Hermione's hand trembling but she didn't move.

Hermione put her other hand behind Ginny, on the small of her back, mostly to keep it from shaking. She pulled her close and placed the most delicate kiss on Ginny's lips. The thought of dying briefly crossed her mind and she stepped it up. Pouring every feeling she had bottled up for over a year into this one kiss. She had to make it count.

She was about to lean back and suffer through what ever the consequences might be. She had spent many nights in that wretched tent thinking about what Ginny would do if she ever found out about Hermione's feelings for her. She expected her friendship to end, Ginny turning away in disgust, Ginny breaking her heart, telling her that she just didn't feel that way. There were countless scenarios she had run through in her mind, but she hadn't ever imagined what happened now, never dared to hope. Ginny kissed her back! The younger witch had lifted her arms to press Hermione closer to her. She couldn't believe it. She was sure Ginny could feel her heart do somersaults.

Ginny broke the kiss and looked at Hermione, smiling warmly.

'Finally. I thought you'd never come round.'


End file.
